Peace Signal in Pelosi-Dingell Tussle?

At a press appearance to mark the completion of the 100 Hours legislative push by the new Democratic-controlled House of Representatives, Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) announced her intention to form a Select Committee on Global Warming and Energy Independence, with the goal of developing a package of legislation by July 4, 2007. It was a shot across the bow of Rep. John Dingell (D-MI), chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee that overseas the Clean Air Act and the Environmental Protection Agency, who has been protective of his home state's automobile industry.

Dingell didn't take it very well. “We should probably name it the committee on world travel and junkets,” Dingell told the AP. “We’re just empowering a bunch of enthusiastic amateurs to go around and make speeches and make commitments that will be very difficult to honor. ... They’re going to get under the feet of and interfere with those who are trying to do a decent job of legislating."

Paul Kane has an interesting item on the Washington Post blog Capitol Briefing today, pointing to signs that the two powerful legislators may be working around their disagreement. In particular, Pelosi's daughter Cristine Pelosi and Dingell's wife Debbie Dingell, both committee members of the DNC, have collaborated on a resolution staking out a party platform pushing for energy independence at its annual winter meeting later this week. Party Chairman Howard Dean and Vice-Chairman Rep. Honda (D-CA) are supporting it.

The resolution seems to step gingerly around any actual mention of the automobile industry, but it declares strong support for measures that "promote energy security and a safe, clean environment by reducing our dependence on oil, eliminating billions in tax breaks for big oil companies, and increasing research and development into clean renewable energy and efficiency technologies." And the fact that family members of the sparring legislators worked together on it may be a very good sign.